Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A circuit panel of an electronic device comprising: a substrate having: a substantially flat surface in an active area of the electronic device; and a bent border area contiguous with and extending from the substantially flat surface; a plurality of traces on the substrate that are coupled to the active area and routed in the bent border area; and patterned perforations in a portion of the substrate that extends between the substantially flat surface and the bent border area that decrease stress in the portion of the substrate, wherein at least one of the traces extends between a respective one of the perforations and an outermost edge of the substrate and wherein the circuit panel comprises a display panel and the active area comprises a visible area of the display panel.
An electronic device includes a circuit panel with a flat surface containing the active area (like a screen's visible part) and a bent border area extending from this flat surface. Electrical traces connect to the active area and are routed through this bent border area. To reduce stress, perforations are patterned in the substrate between the flat and bent areas. At least one electrical trace runs between a perforation and the substrate's edge. The circuit panel can be part of a display panel.
2. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of traces are routed through the portion of the substrate from the flat surface to the bent border area.
The circuit panel of an electronic device described above has electrical traces routed from the flat, active surface, through a perforated portion of the substrate, and into the bent border area, allowing connections from the active display area to be made at the device's edges or rear.
3. The circuit panel of claim 2 , wherein one or more of the plurality of traces are routed between the perforations.
The circuit panel described in claim 2, where electrical traces are routed from the flat surface through a perforated portion to the bent border area, also includes some traces that run between the perforations themselves. This provides multiple routing paths through the weakened section, potentially improving signal integrity or density.
4. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate.
The circuit panel as described previously, with a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces routed between them, and perforations to reduce stress, utilizes a flexible substrate material. This allows the device to be curved or bent without damaging the circuit panel.
5. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the circuit panel comprises a touch sensor panel.
The circuit panel as described previously, with a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces routed between them, and perforations to reduce stress, is a touch sensor panel. This enables touch input functionality on the electronic device.
6. The circuit panel of claim 5 , wherein the active area comprises a touch-active area including a plurality of conductive rows or columns.
The touch sensor panel described previously, which includes a flat active area, a bent border area, traces, and perforations, has an active area that includes a grid of conductive rows or columns used for touch sensing. This creates a touch-sensitive matrix.
7. The circuit panel of claim 6 , wherein one or more of the plurality of traces are configured to connect to one or more of the conductive rows or columns.
The touch sensor panel described previously (conductive rows/columns, flat area, bent area, traces, perforations) routes its electrical traces to connect to the individual conductive rows or columns in the touch-sensitive area. This allows reading the touch position.
8. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the active area substantially occupies the flat surface of the substrate.
In the described circuit panel, with a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces routed between them, and perforations to reduce stress, the active area essentially covers the entire flat surface of the substrate. This maximizes the usable area of the display or touch sensor.
9. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the display panel comprises an LCD panel.
The display panel, within the circuit panel having a flat active area, a bent border area, traces routed between them, and perforations, is specifically an LCD panel.
10. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the bent border area is substantially perpendicular to the active area.
The circuit panel, with a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces, and perforations, features a bent border area that is at approximately a 90-degree angle (perpendicular) to the active area.
11. The circuit panel of claim 1 , wherein the bent border area is folded towards a back surface of the substrate.
The circuit panel, with a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces, and perforations, has its bent border area folded towards the back surface of the substrate. This allows for compact routing of connections behind the active display.
12. A tablet PC comprising the circuit panel of claim 1 .
A tablet PC includes the described circuit panel featuring a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces routed between them, and perforations to reduce stress. This enables a smaller bezel and improved aesthetics.
13. A smartphone comprising the circuit panel of claim 1 .
A smartphone includes the described circuit panel featuring a flat active area, a bent border area, electrical traces routed between them, and perforations to reduce stress. This enables a smaller bezel and improved aesthetics.
14. A circuit panel of an electronic device comprising: a substrate having: a planar portion including a matrix of touch pixels; a bent edge portion contiguous with and extending from the planar portion; and one or more thinned regions along the bent edge portion; and a plurality of traces on the substrate that are coupled to the matrix of touch pixels and that extend from the planar portion into the bent edge portion, wherein each of the touch pixels in the matrix of touch pixels comprises a capacitive sensing node.
An electronic device has a circuit panel that features a flat portion with a matrix of touch-sensitive pixels, and a bent edge that extends from this flat portion. The bent edge contains thinned regions. Electrical traces connect to the touch pixels and extend from the flat portion into the bent edge. Each touch pixel utilizes capacitive sensing.
15. The circuit panel defined in claim 14 , wherein one or more of the plurality of traces are routed between the thinned regions.
In the circuit panel with a flat touch-pixel array, bent edge portion with thinned regions, and traces connecting them, some electrical traces are routed between the thinned regions of the bent edge. This allows for flexible routing while managing stress in the bent area.
16. The circuit panel defined in claim 15 , further comprising: a plurality of drive lines; and a plurality of sense lines.
The circuit panel described in claim 15, which includes a flat touch-pixel array, a bent edge portion with thinned regions, and traces routed between the thinned regions, also incorporates multiple drive lines and sense lines. These lines are essential for capacitive touch sensing.
17. The circuit panel defined in claim 16 wherein the capacitive sensing node is located at an intersection of a selected one of the drive lines and a selected one of the sense lines.
The touch sensor described previously (flat touch-pixel array, bent edge portion, thinned regions, traces, drive lines, sense lines) has capacitive sensing nodes located at the intersections of the drive and sense lines. This allows the system to pinpoint the location of a touch.
18. The touch sensor defined in claim 14 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible substrate.
The touch sensor panel, with a flat portion containing a matrix of touch pixels, a bent edge with thinned regions, and traces connecting the pixels to the bent edge, uses a flexible substrate material.
Unknown
August 12, 2014
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